Replies to post #223292 on Biotech Values

[DewDiligence]

6w HCV regimens are contraindicated from both a scientific and business standpoint.

You cited the scientific impediment in your post: i.e., that one doesn’t want to incur even a small risk of relapse from stopping treatment too soon. The natural lifecycle of hepatocytes makes it questionable whether a small-molecule treatment regimen shorter than 8w could be viable.

From a business standpoint, the problem with any regimen that has variable treatment duration according to genotype is that it re-introduces the need for genotyping—a task that has been obviated by drugs such as Mavyret and Epclusa.

Further, Rx scripts generally come in multiples of 4 weeks, and hence a 6w regimen would require just as many refills as an 8w regimen, thereby offering no advantage in refill compliance.

[DewDiligence]

COCP PR on 6w HCV regimen:

https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/10/30/1937841/0/en/Cocrystal-Pharma-Announces-New-Data-on-CC-31244-and-Abstract-Acceptance-for-Poster-Presentation-at-the-AASLD-2019-Liver-Meeting.html

Eight of 12 patients achieved primary endpoint of sustained virologic response (SVR), which is considered a cure, using only 6 weeks of Epclusa’s therapy combined with only 2 weeks of CC-31244

As though a 67% SVR rate were something to boast about.

See #msg-146258764 for related info.